Expiatio
by ScarletSickle
Summary: One year after the incident, Viola is visited by a former acquaintance who drags her back into a situation that threatens to open unhealed wounds. It seems the story is not quite over.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Witch's House/Majo no Ie is owned by Fummy._  
_

A/N: This story takes place after the game's course of events. Those of you who prefer the prospect of "revenge," please turn away now as this story heads in the opposite direction. Thank you for reading.

* * *

_Ellen! Please! Let me help you!_

_I'll stay with you until you're better, alright, Ellen?_

_Of course we're friends! We always will be!_

_Eh? Magic?_

_If it's to make you happy, go ahead, Ellen!_

_Ellen...please..._

_Why..._

_Eh..lehn...I..._

_Viola._

_Viola, we're friends, right?_

_Viola..._

"Viola!"

"Viola. Wake up, Viola. Hey, sleepyhead, wake up."

The blonde girl heard the unfamiliar voice and drifted back into consciousness. She opened her eyes and her vision gradually cleared. Staring back at her were the scarlet eyes of a girl she didn't recognize. The eyes themselves were familiar; remnants of a past she was still gradually forgetting.

"Yo."

Immediately, Viola reached back beneath her pillow and retrieved a small knife, swiftly bringing it around to gouge a massive tear in the girl's neck. She stumbled back, surprised by the action. The torn flesh began to regenerate as blood pooled on the floor of Viola's room. Torn tissues and punctured cartilage were clearly visible in the wound.

"Ich-" The black-haired girl paused to speed up the repair of the vocal cords. Viola quickly rose from the bed and brought the knife to the girl's healing neck.

"Is that any way to treat an old acquaintance?" The girl finally managed to say.

"Why are you here? I have no business with you."

"How cruel. Even after I helped you with your illness?"

"You did nothing but force me to steal a body after your trick."

"You were amused by it back then. Being human's changed you, I see. Shame."

The knife was at the girl's eye.

"It's early enough that I can clean out all the stains before father comes to wake me." Viola seethed.

The girl simply smirked in response. Somehow, the demon could mimic a cat's grin even in this form.

"Our contract's void. So yes, my business with you doesn't involve that. It's another matter however, of concern to…various individuals."

"Not to me. Leave."

"Oh, but I think you will be interested. If you'd just listen? It seems to me that those memories weren't the only thing that girl left you. With those emotions of yours…I think you'd benefit from one last meeting. Properly lay things to rest."

Viola's eyes dilated. She forced her anger down one last time.

"She's dead. You devoured her."

"Which leads me to the matter at hand. I won't go into detail since your patience seems thin, but you understand there's only one plausible reason, rather, one link, for my coming to you when our pact has ended?"

Viola stayed silent. The demon took it as a sign that she'd be able to continue.

"Due to the previous incident, I'll refer to her as Ellen, to avoid confusion." Viola stiffened. "Essentially, the issue is that Ellen is not…cooperating with her fate. She possessed a large amount of magic when she was killed. Her soul also maintained various…connections with this world. Altogether, I was unable to properly remove her. Your body appears to be one of the primary links. Would you do me a favor and allow me to sever the link permanently? I guarantee you'll never see me again once this is dealt with."

"And why should I?"

"It's beneficial for you too. Ellen's been causing me so much trouble lately, it's not entirely impossible for her to force contact with you directly. I certainly wouldn't be surprised. I just want to nip this in the bud before it gets any more troublesome."

Viola paused. She definitely didn't want anything to do with the demon at this point, but the possibility of that girl coming back was a prospect Viola did not want to consider either. Viola was not about to lose her body after everything that had happened.

"…How long will this take?"

"The sooner we leave, the faster it'll be done with."

"Leave?"

"Yes well, I need you at the place where Ellen died. Then I can end this ridiculousness."

Every instinct Viola had screamed at her to reject it. Being involved with the demon was one thing, but returning to that place was outright unthinkable. Viola couldn't ignore Ellen's potential connection either. She lowered the knife and backed up into her bed, collapsing on it.

"What the hell kind of demon can't destroy a little girl?" She muttered irritably.

"A little girl with your magic." The demon corrected. Viola didn't respond.

"It is embarrassing, I'll admit. But typically, we don't consume the souls of witches. They're handled in a different manner, when necessary. My only excuse for this is that Ellen is a special case, and managed to get lucky as well."

The black-haired girl turned to look out the window contemplatively at the night sky outside. The sun hadn't risen yet, but the moon was no longer visible.

"Of course, if you'd prefer to handle this charade personally, well…you were quite an excellent witch. It will be quite a long time before I find someone as skilled as yourself."

Viola sat up and gave the girl the most menacing glare she could manage.

"Push your luck any more and I'll end you and take my chances with Ellen."

"Well, the offer's open. Replacements are difficult to find." The demon turned back on Viola, her eyes glowing a faint red. "When can you leave?"

Viola was about to curse at the demon, but held her tongue.

"Wait outside. I'll be out when I feel like it."

The demon frowned but said nothing more. The demon calmly opened the window and leapt from the edge, the window closing itself behind her. Reaching the ground, she looked at the forest in the distance. She'd have to find an animal host to avoid unnecessary problems while she waited.

Cats were quite elegant, and the bodies of small animals were ideal when working with witches. Few demons indulged in the many risks of using a human vessel when on the Surface, and she had always been one of the few exceptions. There were certain benefits to using such a body at times.

Unfortunately, cats were difficult to find these days, and her current body would have to be stored as well.

"Always so much to do. Honestly, Ellen…"

Viola remained on her bed for a moment after the demon's departure. Assuming the demon wasn't lying, the whole issue would be resolved quickly with minimal trouble. The chances of that were, however, quite unpredictable to Viola.

She sighed and fell back on her bed. The body transfer had left her with that girl's memories, as well as, much to Viola's chagrin, some emotions and personality. Although Viola had easily maintained her own consciousness, it had quickly become apparent to her that those emotions were gradually seeping into her. She had simply thought of it as irritating, but it somewhat assisted her in behaving less like her former self, which, after gaining substantial amounts of empathy, among other things, now seemed to be detrimental to her hopes of living a happy life, in retrospect.

In this case, however, the emotions that had been integrated by Viola were proving to be rather irritating. The demon was correct. Some part of her wanted to go back to that place. Some part of her wanted to see that girl. And Viola could only somewhat understand why. The past was the past, and the past was dead, so there was no sense in dwelling on it.

Standing up, Viola walked over to her mirror. The golden braids and emerald eyes that she was now familiar with appeared distorted.

"That girl…you…" Tears continued falling as the emerald eyes stared back at her blankly.

"Why…?"

Viola walked down the stairs and made her way to the front door, careful to minimize the amount of sound she created. Her father was still asleep, as usual. She had left a note on her bedroom door for when her father did come to wake her, but she was relatively certain that wouldn't be for another three hours.

Viola had picked out an outfit she had rarely worn; a dress of black lace with white trim. It wasn't particularly gaudy but somehow seemed appropriate for her destination. It had only been a little over a year, but the incident was still fresh in her memory, despite her efforts to forget. And now she was returning to that place. The place that protected her, and imprisoned her. The place that had consumed dozens of souls. The place where she met her best friend, made her suffer, and stole her life.

Emotions tore away at her in response to her thoughts, but she brushed them aside as best she could. They weren't hers. And this would be nothing more than a small errand.

Opening the door, she was greeted by the sight of a small black cat yawning.

"Yo. All dressed up?"

Viola closed the door behind her, locking it, and turned to walk past the cat without a single glance.

"The other body made for an easier target." She mentioned nonchalantly.

"Emotions or not, some things never change." The cat hopped down to the ground and rushed to catch up with Viola. "Although I don't recall you being quite so violent."

The girl and the cat calmly walked through the forest. Viola still knew the way to the former site of the house by heart, but she let the cat lead so she could think.

Dawn would arrive soon, but as the forest was now, there was an eerie glow cast on the trees and foliage around the duo. The moon wasn't present, and no other source of light was available to cause such an effect. Viola easily attributed the aura to a closed space the demon had brought the forest into to prevent interference. It was a simple, harmless spell. Viola made a note to remain alert for any tricks the demon might attempt.

The chirps of cicadas and other small insects were the only ambience that penetrated the otherwise perfect silence. The atmosphere was likely to convince any normal individual to turn back, but Viola continued walking into the depths of the woods.

"Almost there." The cat reported from up ahead. Viola said nothing. A moment passed before the cat offered an inquiry.

"Say, have you…ever regretted what you did?"

"No." Viola's response was swift and stern.

"I see." The cat took Viola's tone to mean that there would not be any conversation for the remainder of the trip, and simply returned to his silence.

A few minutes later, the duo exited the dense portion of the forest and cut into a long forest path. The scene was no different from that day. The path had changed little since then. The place where Ellen died was up ahead. Viola's heart began beating faster. She didn't want to see this place again.

"It's just up there, I believe. It won't take long. Would you kindly?"

Viola didn't respond. She walked up the path that used to lead to her former house.

The trees bounded either side of the path, seemingly forcing her to continue. The grass was slightly taller than she remembered. Viola heard the cat behind her, walking at a slower pace.

Viola's eyes widened as she approached the grave of her former friend. A steady line of roses grew from where Ellen had died, stretching further up the path. It was a trail; one that marked Ellen's final movements.

A flash of memories engulfed her. The thick mist covered the forest and the rain fell relentlessly. Ellen's pained demands were barely coherent to Viola. The trail of blood from Ellen's efforts and the desperation in her voice as she realized she'd wouldn't see her father again. All of it was clear at that instant.

Viola subconsciously lowered her head, avoiding the view. That was the day Viola was cured. That was the day she gained love. And yet, something continued to plague her. Viola needed to get away. Everything was over already. It was her body. She was Viola, and Ellen was dead.

"Right then. I'll sever the link now. After we're done here, your body will belong to you, and I'll leave. I'm sure you can get home on your own."

Viola turned to face the cat and stared at it blankly.

"Do it." The cat nodded and placed its right paw in front of it. A small array of luminescent inscriptions burst to life, and then grew and shifted to center on Viola. Nearly immediately, a thick wall of distorted space began to form, bounding the edges of the circle. Viola's eyes widened. She recognized this spell; it was a barrier. The demon had lied, and Viola had been too slow to notice.

She immediately drew out her knife from her right sleeve and rushed the small black figure, intending to dismember it. Before she could reach it, the world around her began moving. The cat became farther and farther away as the forest shifted in position. Viola turned around.

The trees and line of roses rushed towards her. The forest was bringing the former site of her house towards her, and there was nothing she could do. Viola took a few steps back. The world continued moving. The path narrowed to a small opening, and then opened up to a slightly larger area, the entrance of which had formerly been blocked by the impenetrable roses that Ellen had trapped her with.

The path led into another small area, the entrance to Viola's former house. The sign was covered in vines and roses. The tree beneath which Viola had woken up on that day had grown larger. Everything else matched her memories nearly perfectly. Viola took a few more steps back, and made contact with the barrier. The entrance passed her by, and the place she had never wanted to return to finally reached her.

An open area bounded by the forest greeted her. The line of roses led back to the site of the house. And where the house would have been, there was only a twisting network of thorn-covered vines. A sudden sense of anger gripped her. The demon had lied to her, and dragged her back to this place when she had finally acquired her happiness.

Viola turned to the barrier and drew the knife once more. She cut, and stabbed, and tore, but the barrier held. If she had her magic, and if she had her house, the barrier would easily shatter like glass.

Viola tightened her grip on the knife. She didn't know what the demon had planned.

Her pact had ended. The demon had received all the souls she collected, and she had received the spell that cured her. The spell had been executed successfully, she had lost her abilities as a witch, and Ellen had gained majority control of the house. The house had still belonged to Viola, which had allowed her to escape. Ellen had died, and the demon then should have consumed her soul. The magic would have been relinquished, and Viola would have no remaining ties.

That was the course of events. Viola's procedure had worked out properly. It should have worked out properly. And yet, here she was, trapped. Viola knew that the demon had lied. What concerned her was precisely how much of his explanation was a lie. That would determine what he had planned for her.

It angered Viola to no end that she was helpless in her situation.

The only thing that had possessed her to agree was the threat to her life. And now it was at risk. Viola let out an irritated scream and plunged the knife into the barrier with all her strength. The knife reached significantly deeper into the distorted space, but it immediately expelled a repulsive force that pushed Viola to the ground.

Rain began to fall. It was a gentle drizzle. Then a thin mist moved in and enveloped the entire area. Viola's eyes widened. She rubbed her eyes to ensure she wasn't hallucinating. It was exactly like that day.

"No…" She said softly. "Stop…stop it…"

A ringing echo drew Viola's attention behind her. Motes of soft violet light gathered to form an amorphous mass. Gradually, the mass took form.

"What…no. No, you…that's…" Viola pushed herself back against the barrier, readying her knife.

The figure materialized into the body of a young girl. It had violet hair, tied back by a blood-red bow. It had a crimson dress with a white outfit beneath. It had golden eyes that nearly matched the color of Viola's hair. It was a sight that Viola hadn't seen in an immensely long time.

Ellen stood before her, appearing exactly as she was before Viola had removed her eyes and legs, all to see her suffer.

Viola calmed down. She let all her unnecessary emotions fade, and drew back her usual composure. She stared into Ellen's eyes indifferently.

"So she wasn't lying entirely. This is all your doing, isn't it?" Ellen did not reply, and instead, approached Viola at a steady pace. Viola gave Ellen a small smile and stood up.

"You really are stubborn. You'd chase me to the depths of hell, wouldn't you?" Ellen stopped a meter in front of Viola. Viola raised her knife.

"I don't know what relationship you have with the demon. I don't know if you learned any new tricks. So I don't know if you want revenge, or you actually plan on taking my body." Viola took two steps forward and glared at Ellen with a smirk.

"But I'm not about to make it easy for you, _friend._"

Ellen remained quiet.

"Well? Go ahead. You get the first move. I mean, you came back from the dead and have no physical form. You have the advantage. I can't kill you twice." Ellen still stood motionless. Viola was beginning to become irritated.

"Oh wait. My mistake. I didn't kill you." Viola leaned forward.

"Your father did," She whispered, "I mean, my father." Viola stood back, but received no change in expression from Ellen.

"You're wasting both our times now. I can't hurt you. You're dead. So go ahead." Viola kept her knife up in preparation. A moment of silence passed.

"You really have a lot to say, Viola." Ellen said calmly, giving Viola a gentle smile. Viola parted her lips and lowered her knife in surprise. Ellen spoke to her with kindness in her tone. She, who lied to her, betrayed her trust, and made her suffer. She, who took her life from her.

"I'm not here to do anything to you, Viola." Ellen said gently.

Viola was speechless. The girl was certainly kind, but Viola had clearly seen the hatred, pain, and sadness when Ellen had died. Ellen resented her. Viola was sure of it.

"I did hate you after what you did. After I trusted you. For everything." Ellen looked down sadly."There were better ways to get what you wanted."

"But she told me. In detail, about you. About what you went through. And I realized…" Ellen paused, searching for the right words.

"I realized you were lonely for a reason, but not for the one you thought. You were born with your personality. You saw things differently. You felt differently. Your parents' treatment changed you. Your sickness changed you. The demon's manipulation made it worse."

Viola lowered her head. The demon had dared to interfere like this. Now this girl was analyzing her mind. She dared to try and explain her life. She dared to disprove the validity of her thinking. Some part of Viola barely stopped her from interrupting Ellen with a slash to the throat, only with the reminder that it would do nothing.

"When I met you, I only saw some of that. I wanted to help you. Then. You did…everything…and I hated you. But…you haven't hurt father. You haven't done anything else to anyone. You're happy."

That should've been true. But Viola wasn't.

"I…do wish you hadn't done that. But that's not why I'm here. I know you're being affected by my emotions."

Viola's eyes widened.

"And that's a good thing. Because you'll stop hating. You'll stop suspecting. You'll learn to open up more. You'll learn to care. And…you'll be happier."

Viola felt tears running down her face. This wasn't her. It wasn't. Ellen smiled.

"But I'm not sure how long that will take. So, for your sake…" Ellen took another step forward. Viola flinched.

"I never got the chance to tell you. When we were friends. And I doubted myself after you did what you did…but…I'm probably completely insane for being like this…maybe I'm just as different as you are…after everything…I still…" Ellen looked up. Viola was barely holding the knife.

"You wished to be loved, right? That's why…you did…everything…you blamed the illness…you blamed the people around you…and I don't want to see you do that anymore…especially since…"

Ellen took one final step towards Viola and put her arms around her. Viola gasped.

"…I love you."

Viola dropped the knife.


	2. Chapter 2

Viola's head pounded. The tears were flowing uncontrollably now. She didn't see it. She never would have seen it. This girl had cared for her from the beginning, and Viola had thrown it away.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry…I'm sorry…" Viola repeated the same words over and over again.

"It's okay. I…" Ellen paused. "I forgive you…" Ellen closed her eyes as Viola began to cry.

A ringing echoed throughout the space once again. Ellen gently pushed Viola away.

"I…have to go now, okay? So…promise me…you'll keep father happy…and promise me…that you'll keep yourself happy." Ellen began to drift into the air. Viola's eyes widened as she clumsily regained her footing to catch up with Ellen.

"Wait, no…please…I'm sorry, Viola…stay…please…" Viola managed to say. Ellen simply smiled cheerfully.

"Don't be silly, you're Viola, remember?"

"Don't…" Viola's knees gave out as she collapsed and continued sobbing.

"I can't stay. I'm not alive anymore. The agreement was that I get to talk with you one last time…and then I…go where I'm supposed to go…" Ellen's form began to disintegrate into motes of light. Viola got to her feet and rushed to Ellen, but simply phased through her.

"No…" Viola could only watch helplessly as the sadly waving figure of Ellen faded completely.

"Thank you…for being my friend…and…promise me…okay?" Ellen's final words echoed through the space.

"I promise…I will…" Viola said quietly. The barrier dissipated and the mist faded. The rain began to let up. A figure approached from the entrance to the field, red eyes glowing.

"To think that she went through that trouble just to talk to you. That girl is certainly something."

The black-haired girl walked up to Viola.

"You've really changed too, haven't you?"

Viola swiftly retrieved her discarded knife and immediately thrust it into the demon. Viola's eyes were wide and her pupils were contracted.

"Why. Did. You. Bring. Her. Here?" Each word was punctuated by a furious stab to the demon's chest. Viola continued her assault, her pace gradually slowing.

"Like I told you…" The black-haired girl paused to cough up a significant amount of blood.

"She was causing me trouble. Retaining her magic, among other things…and this was the deal she agreed to. One last conversation."

Viola removed her knife, now covered in blood, and gripped the black-haired girl's collar.

"Where…is she now? Have you consumed her?" Viola demanded.

"Something like that. I'm taking my magic back. Her soul will be devoured afterwards." Viola tightened her grip and hesitated to continue.

"…How do I bring her back?" The demon closed her eyes.

"You don't. For one thing, resurrection is impossible. For another, you wouldn't have a body for her. I'm afraid this is as far as we go. Ellen's deal has ended, and so has my business with you. Now that she's actually dead, I'll leave you alone. Like I said I would." But Ellen wasn't dead. Viola had caught that portion of the demon's explanation. She would be soon. But she wasn't. But she was being consumed. Ellen was dying, again, and Viola didn't know how she would deal with that fact. Viola calmed herself and gave the demon a firm look.

"Form a pact with me." The black-haired girl gave Viola a look of surprise.

"…What do you want this time…?"

"A spell to expel that girl's emotions from me."

"…Those mood swings of yours are really starting to get odd."

"Which is why I want them gone. This body isn't mine until they are."

The demon gave Viola a small laugh.

"Alright. I won't ask for much for that one though. Are you sure about this? What about your father?"

"I left a note. Do it."

The black-haired girl complied and placed her hand on Viola's forehead. A flash of red light blurred Viola's vision momentarily, before she felt her magic return.

The vines that had occupied her former house began to unwind, forming walls, and gradually, the vines' appearance changed into that of the house. Viola had never imagined she would see this scene in front of her again.

"I look forward to working with you again." Viola headed towards her house. The black-haired girl followed, her wounds now fully healed. The front door opened of its own accord as the house welcomed its master once more.

"Is everything still here?" Viola inquired as the demon walked in as well.

"Should be, yes."

"I'm going to retrieve something…seal."

The house responded immediately as the door slammed closed and the walls were covered in a sickly purple barrier.

"What are you-" The demon was interrupted as Viola raced down a hallway. The black-haired girl's eyes glowed brighter as she chased after Viola with a burst of speed, her feet barely contacting the floor.

The sealing spell would prevent the demon from exiting its current host. Viola had specifically learned it as a countermeasure, should the demon ever betray her. That had never happened, but it was being put to use now. Presently, she mentally cringed at the irony of her preparations, considering the purpose behind the entire incident.

Viola's goal was her study, which contained various books on magic. She needed two in particular. Viola mentally willed the rearrangement of rooms. Doors slammed behind her as the house changed its internal structure. She was still the master.

Viola sensed a presence approaching. A floating knife exited what was now the kitchen. Viola slowed at the sight of the house's chef.

"I'll hold her off, mistress. Good luck." The knife twirled in mid-air. Viola smiled.

"Thank you." As she passed into the next room, she heard the sounds of metal striking metal behind her.

Rooms shifted once more. Viola heard the demon's irritated scream echo through the house. A torrent of water exited the door to the pool and formed a mass of writhing tendrils. Viola could see the many tadpoles floating inside it. A small frog exited the mass and hopped to the floor.

"Go on, big sis! Do your best!" Its high-pitched voice said. It then returned to the water as the mass slid past her.

"Thank you…" Viola said quietly as she continued. The next room was her study. She immediately moved to the bookshelves to retrieve what she needed. She quickly located a book on necromancy, and one on regulating magical flow. The door burst apart into splinters as the black-haired girl walked through.

"I really don't appreciate this, Viola. This is borrowed power you're using." The demon's approach was blocked by an invisible wall.

"…What…" Levitating books floated out from behind the bookshelves as another invisible presence stepped forward. Arcane scriptures danced across the open book surfaces and formed spirals.

"You have something you need to do, right?" The voice asked. Viola gasped.

"You…you're still…"

"We're all here for you, whenever you need us."

The demon kicked the wall, causing it to resonate with a high pitched tone. It held.

"You really are a lonely person, aren't you?" The demon said as she kept kicking. The apparent force applied betrayed the demon's strength as sparks flew and the wall began to crack. Viola ignored her.

"Thank you."

"C'mon. You should go." The voice encouraged. Viola nodded and moved to the door that had appeared at the other end of the study. The door looped back to the entrance. As Viola exited, she heard a loud crash as the door began to close. Needles of black energy punctured the wall beside the door and tore through the side of Viola's torso. She winced and put her free hand over the wound as the black wisps dissipated and left behind seared globules of charred blood. The door closed and she felt the house rearrange once more. Viola quickly exited the house and looked back on it.

It was covered in a purple mist that now bound the demon in a prison. Viola didn't have much time. The demon had been tearing away at the fabric of the prison ever since Viola had raised it, and the prison wouldn't hold for much longer. She opened her two books to the relevant pages. Her next actions would place massive strain on her body. She braced herself and began to chant.

"_Tsu charle rinyo ashinya baato amie olgue sverto."_

The house was immediately encircled by multiple rings of inscriptions. This spell would redirect and compress the majority of the magic within the house into her body, including that within the demon. In the demon's current state, with Ellen still holding onto some of its magic, Viola hoped it would be enough to kill it.

"_Tsu fiddela caela vul alstrul krotto sval vanig."_

The inscriptions spun faster and faster. Viola felt the power begin to enter her body. She had no doubt that if she had tried this while she was sick, it would have killed her instantly.

"_Seia ura zanol totypto!"_

Viola screamed in agony as the magic rushed into her. The process was quick, but left her in an unstable state. She weakly picked up the book on necromancy and stumbled to the door. The purple mist had dissipated. Viola commanded the house to bring the room containing the demon to the front. If she had succeeded, the body would barely be alive. If she had failed, the body would be dead, or the demon would still be inside it.

Viola opened the door. She saw the black-haired girl collapsed on the floor of the entrance hall. The demon had almost gotten to Viola.

Viola weakly made her way to the body. It was undamaged.

"No physical form…doesn't make you immortal…huh…" Viola murmured.

Viola felt the presence that gave her hope. She filled the body with some magic to stave off decay and began to read from the book.

"_Ich balfa ame londor…"_

The body was bathed in a purple light.

"…_bespie cana questa vanie.."_

The body's hair shifted color to a deep violet and various other features changed. This spell would tether the lingering soul to the body.

"…_scapa londor drotto…deia…"_

As the spell completed, Viola felt her consciousness start to leave her. A warm liquid dripped from her mouth and eyes and splattered the floor red. If she fell unconscious, the magic would go wild. Viola barely held on.

The body in front of her began to move. Ellen's eyes opened. They were a bright golden yellow.

"…What…where is this…?" Ellen slowly sat up and finally noticed Viola. Her eyes widened in shock.

"What…did you do…" Viola smiled weakly.

"I'm…sorry…" Viola fell to the ground. Ellen rushed up to her.

"Why did you do this…?" Ellen asked, tears welling up in her eyes.

"You didn't think…I changed that much…and I guess you were wrong…could you get my book…from outside…"

Ellen scrambled to her feet and ran to retrieve the book. When she returned, Viola was coughing uncontrollably.

"Here! Here…please…" Ellen desperately placed the book into Viola's hands. Viola turned back to the page to revert the spell with trembling hands.

"Ce-ceres fiel-" Viola was interrupted by another series of coughs and dropped the book. She struggled to place her finger to indicate the necessary incantation to Viola. Viola desperately scanned over the lines. The symbols weren't something she should have recognized, but she did. Realizing that she was still a witch, Ellen took a deep breath and began to recite.

"_Ceres fiel amie solitia seol osu naza noto lysa aura."_

Viola felt a gentle tug and allowed the magic to flow out.

"_Shiku charle ovis gron lopto stryga."_

Viola relaxed as the strain tapered off to a dull discomfort.

"Ah…" Ellen helped Viola to her feet.

"Are you alright now?" Ellen asked worriedly.

"I'm fine…" Viola wiped the blood from her mouth and eyes.

"Sorry about…risking your body." Ellen smiled and took a hold of Viola's hand.

"I never thought you'd end up bringing me back." Ellen said quietly. Viola looked down. "So…what happens now? Can we…go…? Do you want to switch back…?"

"I…" Viola could not think of what to say.

"We don't have to. I mean," Ellen hugged herself. "Your body's cute, now that…it doesn't hurt…"

Viola blushed slightly and felt a pain in her chest.

"Let's get back…to father. I'll explain things and…we can talk." Viola suggested. Ellen nodded.

"And your house?"

"_Our_ house, I think…and I'll come to visit, I suppose…" Viola trailed off.

The two slowly walked outside. The door closed behind them and locked, awaiting its masters' next visit. The closed space had been disabled after the demon had died, and dawn had come. The rising sun cast an orange glow over the forest and began to light up the sky.

The line of roses that formerly led to Ellen's grave had disappeared, but the garden now had a significant number of roses within it. Ellen smiled at the sunrise.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"Yes…it is…" Viola replied quietly. She didn't know what would happen next. She didn't know how to explain the situation to her father. She didn't know what Ellen planned on doing either. But at that moment, she didn't mind.

A crash of thunder broke the silence as a dark shroud covered the sky. The sun became obscured behind the wall of shadow. It was another closed space. Ellen gasped. Viola instinctively drew her knife and stood in front of Ellen protectively. She sensed presences approaching from the forest path.

Two girls gradually came into view. A bat and a snake preceded them. The sight of more demons disturbed Viola.

"For the smartass demon of knowledge, Dantalian's pretty damn stupid. Two contracts at once is just asking for it." One of the two girls mused loudly as the group approached.

Viola narrowed her eyes and tightened her grip on her knife. Ellen stood with a worried expression.

The bat landed at the head of the group and began speaking.

"Which one of you is Ellen?" Ellen hesitated and opened her mouth but Viola interrupted her.

"I'm Ellen. What do you want?" Viola demanded with a hint of malice.

"I am Belial. This," Belial gestured to the snake, "Is Astaroth. We are here as to perform our roles as enforcers."

"It's quite interesting. Typically we deal with one rogue witch at a time. For there to be two, and contracted to the same demon, is quite an outlier." Astaroth continued. "Understandably, of course; the two of you together likely did not have much trouble with killing Dantalian."

Ellen was about to respond but Viola interrupted once again.

"And what of it? Do you plan on killing us?" Viola asked.

"I'm sure you understand how…improper it would be to have witches who are not regulated by a demon. You would have free access to magic however you chose. It doesn't happen very often, there are various conventions in place to prevent it, and one of those is the general rule to contract with one witch at a time. Dantalian failed to heed it, and gave you the chance to break your contract. That's Dantalian's fault, but regardless, rogue witches need to be eliminated." Astaroth explained matter-of-factly.

"Just try it. I will end all of you where you stand." Viola threatened with a hiss. Ellen gently pulled on Viola's dress. Viola simply nodded slightly. Ellen did not want the humans to lose their lives, and she did not want Viola to hurt anyone unnecessarily. Although this would make the situation more difficult to handle, Viola did not want to go against Ellen.

"Dantalian praised this Ellen for being a prodigy. It seems she is quite arrogant as a result." Belial observed.

"Can we kill them now?" The same girl who spoke earlier asked. The snake and bat retreated to allow their witches to resolve the issue.

"Remember your promise." The other girl whispered to the bat. The two dashed towards Viola and Ellen. Viola raised her hand and multitudes of vines erupted from the ground, slowing their approach.

Viola reached her left hand back, prompting Ellen to take it.

"Could you…trust me…?" Realizing what Viola meant, Ellen simply nodded.

"Tell me when. Go get the book. The first few pages are barriers. Run if you get in trouble." Viola rattled off a series of orders. One of the girls had drawn a sword while the other had pulled forth several puppets that fired lances of red energy.

"Go!" Viola and Ellen broke off. The projectiles threw up a cloud of dirt where they had previously stood. Ellen immediately went for the book, while Viola rode one of her vines and rushed the girl with the sword. Metal struck metal. The puppet-user directed beams towards Ellen. Ellen quickly recited one of the shorter spells. A blue field of energy absorbed all the projectiles. The puppet-user ran towards Ellen at a blinding speed. Ellen responded by willing the flower of the garden to life. A network of vines covered in white blossoms burst from the ground and whipped towards the puppet-user to ensnare her, whose dolls drew scissors and began tearing through the foliage. Dozens of yellow flowers climbed up the vines and latched onto the puppet-user, releasing a paralyzing toxin. The puppet-user scoffed.

"Like hell!" A loud crack was heard as a doll imploded into guided shrapnel and tore through each of the flowers. Another doll deposited a blade into the puppet-user's hand, who then rushed Ellen.

"You're pretty damn bad at this huh?" The puppet-user mocked, before forcing magic into the blade until it glowed red and stabbing the barrier. The barrier cracked under the stress. Ellen summoned a vine from the ground to raise a cloud of dust.

"Switch!" She shouted.

Viola deflected her opponent's sword once more and brought up a blade of pure energy, impacting the sword-user's personal barrier. The sword-user struggled to maintain the shield, and focused on keeping it active. Viola immediately brought up a vine that slammed into her opponent and sent her flying into the trees.

Hearing Ellen's signal, Viola concentrated as best she could, and mediated the spell she wanted. An instant later, Ellen's barrier shattered and the puppet-user plunged her blade into the dust, only to have it torn out of her hands by an immense force. The eyes that met the gaze of the puppet-master momentarily glowed a faint red.

"What the fu-"

Ellen gave her opponent a wide grin and released a massive impulse of magic that immediately tore all the dolls to pieces and forced their master back several meters. It felt strangely nostalgic to be back in her original body and not have constant waves of immeasurable pain coursing through her every cell. Ellen slowly walked towards the puppet-user, who struggled to her feet.

Ellen noticed an object race through the forest and impact Viola's barrier. The puppet-user immediately summoned forth multiple dolls of ticking clockwork covered in spears and rushed Ellen.

"Pay attention, you little bitch!"

Ellen nonchalantly raised her hand and fired a narrow beam of violet sparks. The puppet-master swiveled to dodge. The beam grew to eight times its radius an instant later, sending her opponent into the trees.

Noticing her partner's quick defeat, the sword-user broke off from Viola and fell back to the far end of the field. The puppet-user angrily made her way to the sword-user's side.

"You think holding back can trick us? Nice job. But if you think you can win with shallow tricks like that, you've got another damn thing com-" The sword-user interrupted her.

"It's a body switching spell. Right now the purple one is the _prodigy_. The blonde is inexperienced." The puppet-user's eyes widened.

"Body switching…" She trailed off as she realized the implications. "You two must really trust each other, huh!"

Ellen rushed to Viola's side, ignoring their opponents.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine..." Viola responded. She gave Ellen a small smile. "It's kind of strange to be back in my body again..." Ellen nodded without saying anything.

"Hey, cut the sentimental crap! You're wasting everyone's time!" The puppet-user shouted.

"Charlotte, that's enough playing around. Your warm-up will get us both killed." The sword-user chastised Charlotte.

"Well damn, _Emily! _I didn't think you were such a bore!" Charlotte shouted unnecessarily loudly, clearly irritated at Emily's decision to reveal names.

"Keep playing then. But stay out of my way. It isn't my business if _you_ feel like dying today."

"Fuck you too, princess. She'd kill you without me."

"If you think so highly of her, stop playing."

"I don't, you just suck."

Ellen quickly grew tired of the exchange and fired another stream of lightning at the two. They swiftly avoided the blast.

"It looks like little miss Ellen got impatient." Charlotte mused. Emily said nothing more and concentrated. A pulsating dark red aura enveloped her fully. Charlotte simply snapped her fingers. The ground shook as four massive multi-limbed doll structures climbed out from the dirt, shambling about. "You heard her, rogues. Playtime's over."

Viola trembled slightly at the doll machines. Their distorted jaws were held in place by twisted sinew and multiple gashes and tears revealed its insides were a mixture of gears and pulsing flesh. Large jointed limbs of rusted metal protruded from their tops and the entire arrangement resembled some twisted patchwork skull with spidery legs.

Ellen took a hold of Viola's hand and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. This is our house, remember? We'll get back to father. I promise." Viola nodded. She trusted Ellen. As odd as it was, Viola truly trusted Ellen. Ellen took a step forward and raised her right hand to the sky, mentally calling on the house. A scream shook the air as a black void was torn open in the space above Ellen by immense skeletal fingers. A large rattling skull emerged from the rift and loosed a guttural roar.

"Kindly get off our property."


End file.
